Whether you associate Bolton with the glitz and glam of the celebrity lifestyle or not, there are plenty of famous faces that have links to the town.

From actresses to musicians, you might be surprised to see some of the people who have attended schools there.

Let’s take a look at some of the celebrities who have been educated in Bolton.

Famous faces that went to school in Bolton

Sir Ian McKellen

McKellen who played Gandalf in the Lord of the Rings films was born in Burnley but attended Bolton School.

Sir Ian was head boy at Bolton School between 1957 and 1958.

Helen Flanagan

Helen went to St John’s Primary School in Bromley Cross and is known for her appearances in Coronation Street where she played Rosie Webster.

The actress starred in the ITV series I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here South Africa.

Flanagan is a mother of three and split from her footballer fiancé Scott Sinclair in 2022.

Max George

A member of the boy band The Wanted, Max George attended Bolton School.

The singer is dating EastEnders star Maisie Smith and the pair both appeared on Strictly Come Dancing in the 2020 series.

Carol Klein

Klein is a gardening expert who grew up in Walkden and she attended Bolton School.

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Jenny Ryan

Ryan, from Bolton, is best known for being ‘The Vixen’ on The Chase.

In her younger days, she was a Thornleigh Salesian College student and went on to study Law at the University of Leeds where she helped the Leeds team reach the semi-finals of University Challenge.